2011NCAA Football Thread

[Lights Out]

Again, thanks for nothing, USC. I'd like to think that voters will notice that Stanford had to go to triple-overtime to beat an unranked team, but we all know they'll just see the score with Stanford on top and that will be enough for them.

At least Clemson, Wisky, and K-State lost.

What happened to your stance of "I'll be happy for Boise State just to get to a BCS game."? I knew it was a bull- statement from you.

I would be happy with a BCS bowl... but if there's a path to the NCG, as a fan, I'll root for it.

[CityOfWalrus]

Blackmon is unbeatable

4 games under 100 yards

Not in the top 10 in rec yards

Vs Tulsa - 56 yards & 1 gimme TD near the end of the game.

Sat most of the game vs Missouri with concussion.

Blackmon is not unbeatable. He's a great WR don't get me wrong but this season more teams are aware of him and he hasnt been as good as last year. He's been a lot cocker than usual, he gets pissed and vocal if he doesn't get the ball as much as he thinks, and he has made some mistakes (fumbling vs Texas)

Oklahoma beats Oklahoma State again this year in Bedlam. With Jeremy Smith getting bumped around last 2 games Joseph Randle has turned it up, That's who OU needs to worry about cause Randle is a great pass catcher out of the backfield also. Randle I believe is the difference maker that needs to step up if the Pokes have a chance at winning the Bedlam game.

These days, beating any SEC team will look good on the résumé.

Really? Cause I believe Boise beat a 6-2 Georgia team, in the state of Georgia and doesn't get any credit for it.

[DCDuck]

OU will have to play a flawless game to beat Okie State. And I mean in the sense that they can't turn the ball over or have any dumb penalties. Okie State is a team full of vultures, in the sense that they will take any and every mistake made by the opposition and turn it into points. I truly believe the Okie State defense is one of the most underrated in the country. The way they play tricks opponents into playing the tempo that Okie State wants to play.

[TFoA]

These days, beating any SEC team will look good on the résumé.

Really? Cause I believe Boise beat a 6-2 Georgia team, in the state of Georgia and doesn't get any credit for it.

Sad to say, but Boise's not gonna get the credit that they need (and deserve) unless UGA pulls a conference championship out of their ass this season.

[Cujo]

These days, beating any SEC team will look good on the résumé.

Really? Cause I believe Boise beat a 6-2 Georgia team, in the state of Georgia and doesn't get any credit for it.

Sad to say, but Boise's not gonna get the credit that they need (and deserve) unless UGA pulls a conference championship out of their ass this season.

If Boise State were a BCS Conference school, it's be a totally different story.

Instead, half the nation looks at Boise's win over Georgia as "Just one of them early season upsets".

[HedleyLamarr]

If LSU loses to Alabama by 5 points or less, I think there's a really good chance that we could see a rematch of LSU-Alabama in the National Championship game. Of course, this assumes a couple things:

-LSU only drops to 3 in the polls after this loss. (Big gap in the numbers between the top three spots and #4. Huge gap between #1 and #4.)

-Oklahoma State loses to Oklahoma.

-Stanford loses to Oregon.

-LSU and Alabama win the rest of their games.

-Arkansas wins the rest of their games (until losing to LSU).

LSU already played and handled Oregon. Conference championship aside, it's gonna be difficult to explain why 1-loss Oregon should be ranked higher than 1-loss LSU. The Big XII is gonna knock themselves down once all their better teams start playing each other. Boise State's strength-of-schedule is only going to drop while the contending teams' SOS will only get better.

If Alabama finishes #1 and undefeated, no doubt they'll be in the NCG. If every other BCS conference champion finishes with at least 1 loss (plus 1-loss LSU), I just don't believe there's enough national pull to have Boise State play in the NCG. Oklahoma could sneak in, but if it's not Oklahoma, I think we'll see a rematch.

But, for the record:

1. I think LSU beats Alabama. They've been a little more impressive than Alabama has this season.

2. I'm only in favor of a rematch if it's blatantly clear that Alabama and LSU are the two best teams after all the games have been played. If there's any school that is undefeated, I'm fine with them being a sacrificial lamb to the big boys.

[rams80]

But how can we prove point 2? LSU may have some decent pelts, but Alabama's sole non-SEC kill of note is a Penn State team that is currently trying to win a down Big Ten sans offense.

[CityOfWalrus]

What's so wrong with if Boise and Bama/LSU are undefeated letting them play? Really what it'll do is make for a couple big headlines:

A- Finally give Boise State a chance to either win or do what the world of football wants them to do and lose.

B- Boise fans finally get a shot at the NCG and gives them a chance to really show the nation they could hang/or not hang with the SEC. (ie: shuts them up)

C- If Boise does win, it makes for an extremely impressive story and gives the NCAA a story to promote.

D- If Bama/LSU wins then it lays rest that Boise couldn't hang with the SEC yet.

I know Boise isn't AQ and they play against inferior opponents than SEC and the rest of the BCS, but give a team like that a shot (ie: Utah/Bama and Boise/Oklahoma) and you can't Say it doesn't make for a good game. Yes I know there has been duds (Hawaii/Georgia) but to end all the Boise hype give them a shot and see what happens. I know what all I just said won't matter cause it won't happen till Boise is a BCS team but give them a shot to earn your respect.

[Jigga]

What's so wrong with if Boise and Bama/LSU are undefeated letting them play? Really what it'll do is make for a couple big headlines:

A- Finally give Boise State a chance to either win or do what the world of football wants them to do and lose.

B- Boise fans finally get a shot at the NCG and gives them a chance to really show the nation they could hang/or not hang with the SEC. (ie: shuts them up)

C- If Boise does win, it makes for an extremely impressive story and gives the NCAA a story to promote.

D- If Bama/LSU wins then it lays rest that Boise couldn't hang with the SEC yet.

I know Boise isn't AQ and they play against inferior opponents than SEC and the rest of the BCS, but give a team like that a shot (ie: Utah/Bama and Boise/Oklahoma) and you can't Say it doesn't make for a good game. Yes I know there has been duds (Hawaii/Georgia) but to end all the Boise hype give them a shot and see what happens. I know what all I just said won't matter cause it won't happen till Boise is a BCS team but give them a shot to earn your respect.

What would be so wrong is that it will reward a team for breezing through a weak schedule and not having nearly the body of work a perceived more deserving squad.

Don't get me wrong, I would love to see Boise get a shot, but I certainly don't think they would be the most deserving team if there is a single 1-loss team in a BCS conference. It's not Boise's rightful place to vye for the MNC by polishing off the likes of UNLV, TCU, San Diego State, Wyoming, and New Mexico while the big boys have to roll through much tougher skeds down the stretch (and having to play multiple tough games in succession). If Boise wants a legit shot, even if they join the Big East, they're going to have to play REAL big boys, no second-tier teams in BCS conferences, and play them ALL on the road. 3 or 4 big names. BCS conference champs or periennial powers, Oregon was a nice win a few years back, Va Tech last year, Georgia this year...great. But play them ALL in the same year. Shift the paradigm. Make the college football world take notice. Put yourself on the elite stage. Of course, those elite programs may not want to put Boise on their schedules, but you've got to take the chance...and then we'll see. Until they do that, they don't have a shot at playing for the big prize.

[CityOfWalrus]

I guess I'm just in the boat that believes that going undefeated no matter who you play to win X number of games straight deserves to be rewarded. I understand that playing against tougher comp and being undefeated is better but being undefeated is just a extremely hard task no matter who you play.

[Sport]

added to what Walrus just said, what's the point of being apart of FBS if everyone in the FBS can't win the FBS?

It'd be better for me as a fan of a MAC if they tiered it more. I'd enjoy college football a lot more if the MAC, WAC, CUSA, Mountain West, and Sun Belt were a division unto themselves and held an annual "Tier 2" Championship game (or playoffs).

Actually, if there's any sport in North America that could really make relegation and promotion work, it's American college football.

[Lights Out]

Jigga's points are fair, but Boise State has been trying to put together a tough OOC schedule every year. A couple years ago, Gene Bleymaier announced that BSU would play anyone, anytime, anywhere, and hardly got a response from the "big boys". The ones who did eventually respond have either been deemed "not good enough" after Boise State beat them (Virginia Tech and Georgia), or haggled over money before giving up and paying a cupcake almost as much money as they were willing to pay BSU (Nebraska). Boise is at the mercy of other schools. Scheduling is a two way street.

Additionally, considering that Bronco Stadium is tiny in comparison to the big-time programs' stadiums, no perennial power is going to come to Boise. BSU was lucky to get Oregon and Oregon State to come to the Blue at its current size. And as a growing, yet still small, program, BSU needs as much revenue from home games as possible. They're always among the latest teams in the country to play their home opener as it is.

Granted, if Boise does end up moving to the Big East, the financial ramifications of not playing as much at home would be less of a concern, as AQ status will allow them to bring more money into the program. And eventually, BSU can finally get started on the proposed renovation of Bronco Stadium, which would get it to around the same capacity as Cardinal Stadium and High Point Solutions Stadium. The increased seating might finally make Bronco Stadium a more attractive destination for other high-profile programs out-of-conference.

[infrared41]

added to what Walrus just said, what's the point of being apart of FBS if everyone in the FBS can't win the FBS?

It'd be better for me as a fan of a MAC if they tiered it more. I'd enjoy college football a lot more if the MAC, WAC, CUSA, Mountain West, and Sun Belt were a division unto themselves and held an annual "Tier 2" Championship game (or playoffs).

Actually, if there's any sport in North America that could really make relegation and promotion work, it's American college football.

We both know it will never happen but I really like that idea. As a fellow MAC fan, I'd like it if my Toledo Rockets had something more to play for every season than just a bowl bid to Detroit or Birmingham, Alabama.

[Jigga]

Jigga's points are fair, but Boise State has been trying to put together a tough OOC schedule every year. A couple years ago, Gene Bleymaier announced that BSU would play anyone, anytime, anywhere, and hardly got a response from the "big boys". The ones who did eventually respond have either been deemed "not good enough" after Boise State beat them (Virginia Tech and Georgia), or haggled over money before giving up and paying a cupcake almost as much money as they were willing to pay BSU (Nebraska). Boise is at the mercy of other schools. Scheduling is a two way street.

Additionally, considering that Bronco Stadium is tiny in comparison to the big-time programs' stadiums, no perennial power is going to come to Boise. BSU was lucky to get Oregon and Oregon State to come to the Blue at its current size. And as a growing, yet still small, program, BSU needs as much revenue from home games as possible. They're always among the latest teams in the country to play their home opener as it is.

Granted, if Boise does end up moving to the Big East, the financial ramifications of not playing as much at home would be less of a concern, as AQ status will allow them to bring more money into the program. And eventually, BSU can finally get started on the proposed renovation of Bronco Stadium, which would get it to around the same capacity as Cardinal Stadium and High Point Solutions Stadium. The increased seating might finally make Bronco Stadium a more attractive destination for other high-profile programs out-of-conference.

I understand that a big part of the problem is the big boys just will not agree to home-in-homes or even two-for-ones in their favor. These big boy teams that Boise is trying to schedule have nothing to prove. Boise has everything to prove so they shouldn't even talk about scheduling elite programs at home. It's a non-starter and a big reason why they always end up where they end up. If Boise wants to actually schedule big time teams, instead of bitch about not playing them, then they must go on the road...for every single "big" game. And they have to play at least three of them. I used to strongly defend Boise's efforts, even on these boards, but I just can't anymore. As much as we like to talk about what-ifs, should haves/would haves/could haves and hypotheticals, we have to deal with the reality of the situation. It's been like 8 years now. The "respect" ain't coming. They need to stop being cute, and start conducting themselves like the big boys. Play their game, by their rules, win them all and maybe the BCS cartel will let Boise play for the Championship. Hopefully, we'll see. But until there is a major paradigm shift, Boise may have to put more of their focus on stepping up their level of competition than making money off the sacrificial lambs that come to the Smurf Turf if they want to compete for the crown. Even with the Big (L)East AQ status, there are going to be huge strength of schedule issues preventing the Broncos from playing in the big one.

Damn, I wish there was a playoff.

[rams80]

Unfortunately for the "barnstorming" approach Fresno State tried that, and it didn't exactly pay huge prestige dividends. Or lead to a visit to a BCS game.

[Jigga]

Unfortunately for the "barnstorming" approach Fresno State tried that, and it didn't exactly pay huge prestige dividends. Or lead to a visit to a BCS game.

Well, Fresno State didn't actually WIN the games. That would have helped.

[Lights Out]

Boise's athletic budget is approximately $31 million - a pittance compared to what even the worst AQ programs spend. This is why they need a lot of home-game revenue, because as the football program continues to grow, the university needs to spend more without cannabalizing other sports.

[Sport]

added to what Walrus just said, what's the point of being apart of FBS if everyone in the FBS can't win the FBS?

It'd be better for me as a fan of a MAC if they tiered it more. I'd enjoy college football a lot more if the MAC, WAC, CUSA, Mountain West, and Sun Belt were a division unto themselves and held an annual "Tier 2" Championship game (or playoffs).

Actually, if there's any sport in North America that could really make relegation and promotion work, it's American college football.

We both know it will never happen but I really like that idea. As a fellow MAC fan, I'd like it if my Toledo Rockets had something more to play for every season than just a bowl bid to Detroit or Birmingham, Alabama.

My friends who went to Ohio State always ask me what's the point of rooting for a MAC school when they have literally no chance of winning the national championship. My answer is always that there is no point. The best you can hope for is to win your division, win the conference, win a bowl game. It'd be nice if there was something grander to pull for. Though I guess I should've been like them and based my college choice on what school had the best football team.

[Lights Out]

In other news... the BCS gets more and more idiotic every time they make a public statement. According to Bill Hancock, if the BCS is found to be illegal, then there's a "good chance" that a playoff system would be illegal too.

Well done, Bill... you just accused all other NCAA football divisions of breaking the law. Wow.

[Chawls]

Brian Wilson speaking about S. Carolina/Arkansas on College Gameday:

"Weird mascot game here. The 'Backs against the 'Cocks. Never go against the 'Cocks."

Pure. Gold.